security shmecurity
I was doing some networking installation work for a charity in Brighton one week, and they put me and my partner in crime up in a hotel in said city. It was pretty naff, but acceptable.

Until one night I was woken up at 3am by some pissed blokes with pissed slappers in tow, who had opened my door because they had read the numbers wrong.

The next morning I thought about it, and was convinced I had locked my door. So I did a little testing, and sure enough, my key opened several doors on my floor, and possibly even every door in the hotel!
( Damocles wants no part of your debauchery, Fri 18 Jan 2008, 12:41, 5 replies)

Hmmm
Security comes less from every key being different, as from everyone believing that every key is different. (There's certainly only so many different Chubb locks, as you will discover if you take one apart.)

I sometimes wonder how many cars of the same make and model as mine I could drive away...
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 18 Jan 2008, 12:53, closed)

^^^What Enzyme said
Yes, and as the lock tumblers wear, the differences become less marked, so it's quite common for a worn lock to be opened by many different keys.

I discovered this as a student in halls....
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 18 Jan 2008, 13:29, closed)

Alas..
We tried it when we were living in halls, but our keys didn't open any of the other doors in our building :(
(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Fri 18 Jan 2008, 20:52, closed)

A lemonade bottle always did the trick though...

( jim_bob can herd cats., Sat 19 Jan 2008, 18:37, closed)

our halls
have those electronic key-card locks, we can't get in anywhere we're not supposed to - we have tried!
( MadAdamUk was last alive on, Mon 21 Jan 2008, 18:05, closed)